Energy bills are increasingly taking a bite out of small business budgets. In 2016, residential and commercial sectors alone accounted for around 40% of total U.S. energy consumption. By taking proactive measures, investing in energy-efficient equipment, and monitoring energy usage, you can lower energy costs for your business.
Here are 5 energy saving apps for business owners:
PowerPlug
A PC on standby mode uses 5 watts per hour in comparison to an idle PC that consumes 90 watts per hour. The nearly 20 times difference translates to $40 to $60 in potential annual savings for each PC. Since most workplaces have PCs, PowerPlug improves their energy consumption by making them accessible during standby mode. This innovative solution known as Wakeup Portal, allows employees to remotely awaken and use PCs without running at full capacity.
Ecobee
The company was one of the first to introduce Wi-Fi connected smart thermostats. Together with the Ecobee Smart Thermostat, the Ecobee app graphs the energy demands of heating, cooling and ventilation. You can also download reports and charts from the app on to your computer. By creating temperature schedules, you can scale down the energy needs of your company.
Energy Tracker
The app analyzes meter readings and coordinates data related to your electricity, water, gas and heat consumption. It automatically generates a graph of your daily, monthly, quarterly and yearly readings and goes on to create a savings report based on your usage trends for up to three years.
Energy Watchdog
Developed by EnergyLabs, the app measures the energy efficiency of several electrical appliances. By using the built-in magnetometer or compass of a mobile device, the app detects any fluctuations in magnetic fields. When you place your smartphone near a point that disperses maximum magnetic field on an appliance (like the motor of a refrigerator), the app can establish if electricity is flowing through an appliance.
TED
Also called The Energy Detective, TED has been named the most comprehensive real-time electricity monitor on the planet by Popular Mechanics magazine. The device is installed inside the breaker panel, where it provides readings over existing power lines with a +/- 1 percent accuracy. The data is processed in real-time and can be viewed over Android, iOS, PCs and Alexa.
While these applications offer a quick overview of your business’s energy consumption, a thorough professional analysis will better point out areas of improvement and how to best maximize your buildings’ efficiency. BCS can help with various services, products and staff training. For more energy savings tips for your business, please contact us.
